Grand Falls courthouse closure done deal, says Chuck Chiasson
Liberal MLA does not intend to fight his government's plan, prefers to focus on future decisions
Liberal MLA Chuck Chiasson says he's not going to fight his government's plan to close the Grand Falls courthouse in his riding of Victoria-La Vallée.
The mayor of Grand Falls has floated the idea of having local businesses build a new courthouse, but Chiasson says the decision is done and it's time to move on.
Chiasson, a first-time MLA, says he lobbied against the courthouse closure in caucus, but will focus now on future decisions for the community.
The Grand Falls courthouse is one of four the Liberals are closing this fall.
Progressive Conservative MLA Brian Keirstead has described the closures as an attack on rural areas.
"This moves services further away from ordinary New Brunswickers in rural communities," Keirstead said in the legislature.
Chiasson says he expects to get an earful at home this weekend about the Grand Falls closure and believes opponents will attack him in the next election.
But he notes Grand Falls hasn't been singled out.
"We've taken a balanced approach and we've been fair, and the cuts and the pain have been pretty evenly distributed across all parties and across all ridings."
On the other hand, Chiasson says he hopes this hit will be offset by future Liberal spending decisions.
"My riding and my people were impacted, and hopefully that will be part of the conversation as we move forward."